The method of disengaging a magazine from a firearm varies between the different styles of firearms. Some firearm manufacturers have developed a mechanism, which is spring loaded, and typically situated on one side of the firearm and releases the magazine from the firearm. In some firearms, activation of the magazine release will disengage the magazine and the magazine will subsequently drop from the firearm due to gravity. This quick release method has prompted some lawmakers to weigh in on the safety repercussions of such quick magazine changes. Hence, lawmakers have devised a means to increase the time required to change a magazine and therefore the effectiveness of a shooter.
A magazine lock is a device that requires a shooter to utilize a tool in order to release a magazine from a firearm. The magazine lock prevents manipulation of the magazine release by a finger or fingers. This creates a situation where magazine change times are increased. The magazine lock essentially creates a situation where the magazine is considered an attached-fixed magazine. This is especially critical in the State of California where the state law requires “military-style” firearms with a detachable magazine in combination with others features to have a magazine lock equipped. The tools to be used include a bullet tip or any small object such as a screwdriver or Allen Wrench. This falls under CA Penal Code 978.20(a). Therefore, users with “military-style” firearms must have a magazine lock even at the firing range. This requires a user to utilize either of the two magazine release techniques consequently described.
In a scenario where the user is a right handed shooter and is firing a firearm equipped with a magazine lock and has now expended all their ammunition in the magazine, the user now wants to change the spent magazine to a loaded one.
One technique is to remove the hand holding the firearm grip, typically the right hand, and use a tool such as a bullet tip to enter the magazine lock mechanism and engage the magazine release. The problem with this technique is that the right hand is used to hold onto the grip of the firearm, and when removed will require the user to move the firearm away from the target. So it is imperative that the hand holding the grip is always in contact with the rifle. To eliminate this issue, some user have adopted a more time consuming, and uncomfortable technique. This technique allows the user to retain a hold on the grip while changing magazines and hence remain “locked” onto the target down-range.
This second technique adopted by some users require the use of the left hand. For this technique, the left hand is passed over or under the rifle and then the wrist is bent to position a tool in such a manner that the tool can be inserted into the magazine lock, and finally engages with the magazine release button. While this method does allow the user to remain locked onto their target, this technique is restrictive as any accessories mounted on the top of the rifle will render the over-and-in technique impossible, and using the under-and-in technique is unreliable as the user cannot always see the magazine lock hole and might miss the magazine release button. This further increases the time requirement of releasing a magazine in the first place.
Finally, any left handed shooter can attest that the magazine lock is especially frustrating, as many manufacturers focus their designs on the larger portion right handed shooters. Hence, magazine lock mechanisms are very common for right handed shooters and rare for left handed shooters. Furthermore, once installed on a particular side, a shooter with the opposite dominant hand cannot easily use the weapon.
Therefore, there is an apparent need for a magazine release mechanism that will be operable from both the left side and the right side of the firearm, does not require a user to remove their hand from the rifle grip, and requires a tool, to release the magazine.